Foot-operated clutch mechanism for physician&#39;s examination tables



March 1952 s. s. SPIELBERG 2,588,174

FOOT-OPERATED CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR PHYSICIANS EXAMINATION TABLES Filed May 16, 1950 INVENTOR. Jam. 5 (Spielberg ORNEY'.

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 FOOT-OPERATED CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR PHYSICIANS EXAMINATION TABLES Sam S. Spielberg, New York, N. Y., assignor to Brooklyn Hospital Equipment Co. Inc., Johnstown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application May 16, 1950, Serial No. 162,266

3 Claims. 1

The present invention has particular reference to physicians examining tables, and more particularly to the type in which the top or sup porting means for the patient is provided with an upper pivoted section by means of which the body of the patient can be inclined at any desired angle required for examination.

In tables of this character as constructed at the present time, means .is provided for support ing the upper pivotal section of the table at various angles, such means including a clutch and a hand-operated lever for causing release of the clutch when it is desired to raise or lower the upper or head section of the table. During such raising or lowering movement the clutch must be disengaged and the upper section of the table and the portion of the body of the patient resting against the same must be supported and this support of the patient and pivotal portion of the table requires the use of both hands of the doctor, leaving no hand free to. hold the clutch-release lever depressed. Hence, tables constructed as above described, usually require the services of both a doctorand nurse when raising or lowering of the upper section of the table is attempted, while the patient is resting against the same.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means by which the pivotal upper section of the table is maintained at any desired angle, which means shall be foot-operated or controlled by the operation of a foot pedal, thus leaving the hands of the operator free to regulate the raising, descent of, or positioning of the pivotal upper part of the table.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a table top or body support having an upper pivoted section adjustable to any desired angular position and maintained in such position by means of a clutch device normally held in engaged position, said clutch device being capable of being released when desired by the pressure of a foot pedal, thus leaving the hands of the operator free to position the pivotal part of the table top at the desired angle.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set'forth in view, I have devised the particular arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

"In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative -embodiment 'of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a view of the rear end of a physicians examining table, constructed in accordin the cabinet body I.

ance with the invention, and with parts broken away to disclose construction; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the table, with parts thereof broken away, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the clutch device for holding the pivotal portion of the table top or rest in various inclined positions.

Referring to the drawing, I generally indicates the table which may be of any of the known forms, and preferably, but not necessarily, made in whole or in part of metal. The table maybe of-cabinet form and is provided with the conventional padded rest or top on which the patient reclines, said top consisting of a lower or foot section 3,pivota11y connected at 4 to the backrest 5, which is in turn, pivotally connected at 6 to the headrest 1. The backrest 5 and headrest I are herein referred to as the upper pivotal section since they are both raised and lowered to selected inclinations to position the upper part of the body of the patient at any desired angle for best examination. In Figs. 1 and 2, this pivotal upper section is shown in one of the inclined positions which it may assume. The lower portion 3 is also manually pivotal to various angles but this part of the table forms no part of the present invention.

Provided on the under side of the backrest 5 is a U-shaped bracket 8 receiving a pivot pin 9 on which is pivoted the upper end of a guide rod I0 extending downwardly and entering into the interior of the body of the cabinet through an aperture 30 provided therein. Said rod I0 is adapted to be engaged by a clutch device, operating with a wedging action on the rod I0", and which consists of a plate ll. Said plate H is formed with an opening or hole l2 through which the rod l0 freely passes as long as the plate II is maintained horizontally or nearly so. When the plate II is maintained in an inclined position, or substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the edges of the hole or aperture l2 will frictionally engage the rod In with a wedging action and thus maintain the rod Ill and the backrest 5 and attached headrest 1, against movement.

The clutch plate ll is pivoted at one end "on a pivot pin [4 supported in a bracket [5 mounted Adjacent to its free end, the plate I l is formed with a laterally-extending lug I 3 apertured to receive the upper end of a lifter rod'l6. Said rod [6 has its upper end provided with either a head or a washer, and cotter pin 3| above the lug l3, and below the lug the rod 16 is provided with a stop or abutment I! 3 operative against the under side of the lug Hi to lift the lug and the plate ll of which it forms a part, when the rod I6 is raised as will be explained.

The lower end of the rod [6 is pivotally connected at [8 to the rear end of a foot pedal l9 pivotally mounted at 21 in a-braeket 20 at the lower part of the table cabinet; A spring 2-| has one end attached to the lug l3 and has its other end attached to a bracket 22 attached to the rear wall 32 of the table. A second coil spring, indicated at 23, has one end attachedat 25 to the lifter rod l6 and has its other end attached at 24 to the part 25 f;the,table.,

From the foregoing, the operation of the.im-

proved table will be readily understood. In its:

normal position, the clutch plate ll grippingly engages the rod l0 and thus maintains the upper pivotal section of the top or rest of the, table in;

any position, horizontal or inclined, in which the same may be placed by the operator. Thenormal position of the clutchv plate I l is inclined, to grip the rod l0, said plate being maintained insuch inclined and engaged position by the downward pull of the springs 2| and 23. When it is desired to shift the position or angle of the upper pivotal section and l of the table top, the foot pedal I9 is depressed by the foot of the operator, and thiswill cause thelifter rod I6 to be raised. The member I! on said rod l6, engaging;beneath the lug l3 will raiserthe plate H toward horizontal position and to an extent necessary to permit the guide rod [0 to slide through the hole or opening l2, thus permitting the upper pivotal section of the table top to be inclined as desired. The hands of the operator can be used to support and raise or lower the upper section 5 and 1 of the table while the patient is resting against'the same, and

while the foot is maintained on the pedalle; until the desired inclination of the table top is at tained. On release of the pressure of the foot on the pedal, the springs 2i and 23, exerting a downward pull on the lug I3 and lifter rod; i 6 respectively, will cause a downward swing of the clutch plate H to cause the plate to assume its engaged or gripping position and, hold the rod [0 against any longitudinal movement and thus support the table topinany. selected position of inclination.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing that'I have provided a table which can bereadily operated smoothly and easily by one person,,since the pivotal part of the table and the patientrest: ing against the same can be supported by both hands of the operator while the clutching device is freed by footoperation. The resultis that all shocks and jars to the patient, are avoided while the table is being adjusted.

While I have shown one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same isnot to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of-the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a physicians examining table, acabinet table including a top having a pivoted upper sec tion, a pedal pivotally mounted at the lowerportion of the cabinet, a rod extending from said pedal, a pivotally mounted plate connected to the rod andcaused to be pivotally moved toward horizontal position by depression of the pedal,

said plate being provided with an aperture, a

guide rod attached to the pivotal upper section of thetop, said guide rodextending through the 4 aperture in the plate and normally gripped by portions of the plate about the aperture and held against movement through said aperture,

' said plate being freed from engagement with the rod upon depression of the pedal, whereby the pivoted upper section of the table top may be moved; to; any desired angular position by the hands of an. operator while foot pressure is maintained upon the pedal.

2. In a physicians examining table, a cabinet, a. top mounted on the same, said top having a pivoted upper section, a rod pivoted at one end to the under side of the pivoted section and extending downwardly therefrom and into the cabinet, apivoted clutch plate mounted in the cabinet and having an opening through which the rod extends, means for normally holding said clutch plate in an angular position to cause the same to grip the rod and hold the rod against sliding movement through the opening in said plate, a; pivoted foot pedal located atthebottom of the cabinet, and a, lifter rod having one end pivotally attached-tothe pedal and its, other end in engagement with the clutch plate to cause lifting movementof said clutch plate and clutching disengagement from the, rod when. the foot pedal is depressed, whereby the pivoted upper section of the table. top, may be moved to any desired angular position by the hands of an operator while foot, pressure is maintained, upon the pedal.

'3. In a physicians examining table, a tabletop and means for supporting the same, said tophaving a pivoted end section, av guide rod having one of its ends pivotally attached to the under side of the pivoted end section of the table top, a clutch member in the form of an apertured, pivoted plate hinged at one end below the top and having the guide rod extending through its aperture, spring means exerting a downward pull on the plate to normally hold it at an angle and cause it to grippingly engage the rod, saidplate being provided with a lateral extension disposed at an angle to the plane of the plate, a push-rod attached at one end to the lateral extension, and

' a pedal pivoted below the table top andpivotally connected to the lower end of the push-rod to cause said push-rod to swing the plate toward horizontal when saidpedal is depressed to thereby free the rod and permit movement of the pivoted end section of the table top by'the hands of an operator.

SAM S. SPIELBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

